I think OP means there aren’t a lot of use-cases where a non-english language is helpful in communicating more than english is. Like if you learn swahili, there aren’t a lot of people around the world who speak that language, and you’re unlikely to run into any of them. Millions of people speak swahili, and I’m sure that it has wonderful elements (as all languages do), but there are way more english speakers, and english is spoken in many more places around the world
With that mindset they probably live somewhere where English is the main language. I can’t imagine why a Swedish speaker for example would think “eh English is more important I’ll just use that instea” lmao.
Or they’re terminally online or work in an industry where English is the default language. I definitely use more English than Estonian throughout the day, but the English is nearly all written and the Estonian is mostly spoken.
What does that even matter anymore really? Only corpos worth slaving for are global, with a good WFH gig you’ll have colleagues from all over the globe and you ain’t gonna be speaking Swedish to 'em. Globalization means countries also want to be open to other nationalities. Sure it’s good to learn other languages, and I like it, but most everywhere knowing good English will open more doors than good of any other language, provided that you have at least a basic utilitarian grasp of the majority spoken language of where you live
I always speak English with all my friends who also speak (and are by origin) Russian because we live in England and find it easier since it’s the language we use more. Plus everything else is in English so it’s just extra effort to find words to talk about it in Russian, like translating a movie quote instead of just quoting it.
It’s not there to upset you by being “global”, it’s a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Who cares, it’s just sounds common on a piece of land I happened to be born on. To care about heritage/nation/state and most of all the creepy cult of “culture” and it’s ensuing framework of bioessentialism, transphobia, homophobia, hard r racism and the sheer anti-intellectualism that comes through the simplicity of stereotypes, it’s all stupid jingoist nationalist shit that doesn’t matter, it’s all run by the rich to fuck the poor.
Be your own person, carve your own path, don’t live or die for ‘the man’, make your allies based on reason and material circumstances, not spooks of crumbling empires.
Live, love and die for your reasons, and fight those who try to make it any other way for you or others. Don’t expect a sermon and don’t long for one. That’s real nihilsm for ya.
We need diversity of perspectives, of views, of ways of life and priorities. Languages are tools, and yes we should preserve them and their history and evolution for what it tells us, but it’s not surprising that in the long-term, people simply drift towards the most useful tool.
I think OP means there aren’t a lot of use-cases where a non-english language is helpful in communicating more than english is. Like if you learn swahili, there aren’t a lot of people around the world who speak that language, and you’re unlikely to run into any of them. Millions of people speak swahili, and I’m sure that it has wonderful elements (as all languages do), but there are way more english speakers, and english is spoken in many more places around the world
With that mindset they probably live somewhere where English is the main language. I can’t imagine why a Swedish speaker for example would think “eh English is more important I’ll just use that instea” lmao.
Or they’re terminally online or work in an industry where English is the default language. I definitely use more English than Estonian throughout the day, but the English is nearly all written and the Estonian is mostly spoken.
What does that even matter anymore really? Only corpos worth slaving for are global, with a good WFH gig you’ll have colleagues from all over the globe and you ain’t gonna be speaking Swedish to 'em. Globalization means countries also want to be open to other nationalities. Sure it’s good to learn other languages, and I like it, but most everywhere knowing good English will open more doors than good of any other language, provided that you have at least a basic utilitarian grasp of the majority spoken language of where you live
I can’t anything more obnoxious than a native speaker switching to English when talking with other native speakers to be more ✨global✨ or whatever.
I always speak English with all my friends who also speak (and are by origin) Russian because we live in England and find it easier since it’s the language we use more. Plus everything else is in English so it’s just extra effort to find words to talk about it in Russian, like translating a movie quote instead of just quoting it.
It’s not there to upset you by being “global”, it’s a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one.
Kinda sad to forgo your own language like that but it is what it is and you do you.
It’s not sad to me.
Who cares, it’s just sounds common on a piece of land I happened to be born on. To care about heritage/nation/state and most of all the creepy cult of “culture” and it’s ensuing framework of bioessentialism, transphobia, homophobia, hard r racism and the sheer anti-intellectualism that comes through the simplicity of stereotypes, it’s all stupid jingoist nationalist shit that doesn’t matter, it’s all run by the rich to fuck the poor.
Be your own person, carve your own path, don’t live or die for ‘the man’, make your allies based on reason and material circumstances, not spooks of crumbling empires.
Live, love and die for your reasons, and fight those who try to make it any other way for you or others. Don’t expect a sermon and don’t long for one. That’s real nihilsm for ya.
Just suck to lose diversity.
We need diversity of perspectives, of views, of ways of life and priorities. Languages are tools, and yes we should preserve them and their history and evolution for what it tells us, but it’s not surprising that in the long-term, people simply drift towards the most useful tool.